Into the Light
by staceleo
Summary: They promised salvation. They promised peace. They promised everything a needy soul with unfulfilled dreams could want. She's hellbent on discovering their secrets and is searching for a lost friend. Instead, what she finds is far more horrifying than what she imagined. Can she rescue the people she cares about while uncovering the truth? AU. Cultward. Horror/romance/humor
1. Chapter 1

**AN: It's odd the way that events that are happening in the world can influence a person. A documentary about a cult can make one really think and have some intensely wicked nightmares. What does one do with those dreams? Write them down so it forms into a story. **

**Who started this mess? Drotuno and Suebee did. I thank them for the amazing inspiration. **

**Alice's White Rabbit is my beta and made this lovely. Suebee helped me with my summary. I cherish both of their friendships. **

**This ride is a mix of scares, romance, and a few chuckles. **

Enjoy.

Into the Light

Chapter 1

_"__I think I might have just been stressed out a lot in school," the woman explained. She brushed her dirty blonde bangs out of the eyes. "I knew they wanted me to succeed so badly."_

_The metal chair was uncomfortable. She found herself shifting in order to find a more comfortable position. The questionnaire was only twenty questions but this emotional evaluation was going on for hours, digging into all aspects of her past. She wouldn't be surprised if they asked about her emotional reaction to her first period next. _

_She was just so damn tired. This room, for all the steel surrounding her, was stifling hot. It would be nice just to be over this. To think she felt special because they wanted her to take the next step away from the dorms, from all of the others who were doing menial tasks for the good of all. _

_"__Are you sure you aren't leaving something out, dear?" the man who was evaluating her asked skeptically. The woman thought he was beautiful with his wavy hair the color of ink. His almost black eyes were framed with long lashes. She couldn't stop staring at his lips that were perfectly shaped for pressing against. "The machine doesn't lie when finding the truth of our innermost thoughts and desires."_

_The way he mentioned desire made her lick her lips and shift in her seat_—_not from the metal but from the heat traveling through her. _

_This sterile room was lit from a single light hanging from the ceiling. The shadows made everything in the room seem sinister yet also alluring. The machine that was strapped to her arm would cause the box to light up in a series of colors that made her think of the prisms that hung up in her bedroom window. Drouth _

_"__No, I don't think so," she whispered._

_The man stood and approached her. Slowly, he lowered himself in front of her and placed his hands on her waist. The girl realized his eyes were rimmed with red, but she cared not as he rubbed his lips against her collarbone. "It's my job to decide your purpose, little rabbit. You aren't helping me very much, are you? Will I lead you into the light or will you be given a job to help our cause, hmm? Maybe the answers are so deep inside_ _I'm going to have to pluck them out from the inside and tug them into the air with my fingers."_

_His voice was musical. The notes of his words floated in the air, making her at ease when perhaps it would have been better to be terrified. _

_He popped two buttons of her shirt, revealing the lace of her bra. He placed his ear on her breast and sighed as his other hand stroked her waist. "Your heart is beating so fast. It's positively intoxicating."_

_The line between lust and fear was so thin. This wasn't like her. She wasn't the type to succumb to a strange man in this way. A part of her wanted to push him away and flee. The other wanted him to ravish her in this tiny chair, making her scream to the heavens._

_"__Rabbit, some of us use desire and some of us use pain to determine the path." His smile was chilling. "I find the best method is to apply both for diagnostic purposes."_

_His finger cut into her skin, causing blood to pool up on the tan flesh. His tongue lapped it up, causing her to tremble. "Let us begin."_

_Outside in the hallway, a tall man, with wavy hair left loose to fall down his back, was walking past. A smile was upon as his lips as he heard the screams that were coming from behind the closed doors .The outcome of this evaluation was still unknown, but he would find out soon enough. _

_He had the patience of a saint and felt like a god. He could wait. _

XXXXXX

Sources can be a pain in the ass.

Mostly, when your boss was giving you shit for doing your job.

"Swan, you do realize we can get sued thanks to that little stunt." My editor-in-chief complained as his fist pounded on my desk.

This was a small paper in a big city, so getting attention was important. You would think he would be more thankful for a big story. Every large publication was trying to get a scoop on the Blacks and their unsavory dealings, and we beat them all.

Waylon Jennings was a huge man whose belly hung over the top of his khakis. I had the most unfortunate view of the bulge from the way he was perched on the edge of my desk. I couldn't stop staring at the way it giggled as he bitched.

He continued to whine, "Our lawyers would feel slightly better if you would name your source in this matter so they can clarify a couple facts."

I started spinning in my chair. "We protect our sources, chief. Listening to lawyers is complete bullshit. You need to grow some balls."

Angela started giggling behind her computer screen.

"Weber, this isn't funny!" Waylon had both hands fisted into his thinning hair in distress. "The Quileute tribe is not one to mess with if all the facts aren't completely verified! This casino is of huge financial importance to those people, and I don't feel like losing this paper because they're going to sue our asses into the poor house."

"My source's information is tight. He's also far, far away someplace safe. The tribe is going to celebrate us for revealing this. It was William Black who was the villain of this piece. You worry too much," I informed my cranky boss. "This is about doing the right thing, chief. Where is your journalistic integrity?"

He snorted and stood up, making my desk shake. "It's taking a backseat to my panic over paying for two college tuitions without a paycheck."

"There are always scholarships, boss," Angela interrupted. She peaked over her computer as she pushed her thick tortoiseshell glasses back up her thin nose.

"Kid, they're both too damn stupid to get those," he whined. "Swan, can you please promise me this article won't make me end up in the unemployment line?"

I held up my pinky finger, adding a wink for good measure. "Shall I give you a pinky swear?"

"Smart ass," the chief muttered.

I didn't want to lose my income either, but sometimes, doing what's right wins out over thinking about one's self. My goal was to protect my source, and he was where no one could get to him. Seth Clearwater was safely sunning himself while sipping margaritas on some tropical island. Hopefully. Our contact had been limited since he took that flight to paradise. You would think being the son of the leader of the tribe would give him some protection, but he was terrified of Black. That tribe was being split into two factions, and it was hard to see which side the players were truly on. Seth had hacked into their computer to prove the casino was having a detrimental environmental impact on the reservation. Inspectors were being paid off, and they were cutting corners in the management of waste disposal. Those pristine beaches were becoming toxic waste sites.

Seth told me there was more and it was much worse. He was sitting on the information, but I knew whatever it was scared the fuck out of him. I just needed to get him to trust—

"—have to interview that drummer, Weber. His name is something like Tom or maybe Jim." Our boss rubbed his belly in thought like a pregnant woman caresses her unborn spawn. He was probably trying to soothe the gas pains from that foot-long meatball sub he wolfed down at lunch.

"Tyler Grant? I handle the crime beat, Waylon. Jess is your fluff girl," Angela pointed out with a huff. My friend was not a fan of celebrity gossip. She crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it at the dartboard by the window. "Does his band have a concert in Seattle? I hadn't heard anything about them being in town."

"He'll be in Forks actually. Our Jess heard he was invited to visit that religious group who built their headquarters in town. She was already in town to interview that actor who's in it. They're a bunch of kooks, in my opinion." He gave a shrug. "Our Features girl must have been taken with them because she called and gave her notice. She's joining up. Not even two goddamn weeks' notice. After all the stories I gave that girl."

"You sent Jessica to Into the Light? I haven't heard much good about them," I told them. "You know she's easily swayed by influence."

Into the Light was some religious group that had popped up sometime in the seventies. I didn't know much about them except they were intensely secretive and a bunch of nuts. It started with a book about finding your true path from what I heard. Then it became a religious cult that somehow sucked in previously reasonable individuals. In the last few months, they had moved right into my hometown. Between the Quileute putting up a fuss about them, and my dad having to deal with carloads of their followers filling up the motels to fawn over some pretty boy actor of action flicks, the town was in an uproar over them. Unfortunately, money talks, and politicians were quite happy to fill their pockets. Rumor had it that crazy religions gave better bribes than the tribal casinos. Dad tried to talk the city council out of approving the Into the Light permits, but they never did like to listen to a lowly policeman, even if he was the chief of police.

Angela's nose wrinkled, and she had to shove those glasses right back up. "One interview with Edward Cullen and she's joins a cult? I mean, he's handsome and all, but she has a brain in her head."

Our boss tossed a folder from Jessica's messy desk onto mine. She never came back for all her bedazzled frames filled with images of her sorority sisters and her collection of good luck wild-haired troll dolls. It was odd. Concern and curiosity filled me. Something here was rotten. I flipped it open to see the smiling face of Edward Cullen looking back at me. Auburn hair and matinee good looks made the ladies swoon, I guess. I was usually more into weathered war correspondents, but I could see the appeal. Jessica could have easily fallen for his charm.

"Jess and having a brain? It's debatable, Ang." I beat my pen on my desk with a rat-a-tat tat. Jessica Stanley had stars in her eyes and her head in the clouds. There was no way she could be capable of making a good decision. Don't get me wrong, I liked Jessica. She could be great fun to hang out with, but she could be rash.

"Be nice, Bella," Angela admonished with a grin. She knew me too well. There was a reason the dark-haired woman and I became fast friends. We cherished both our similarities and differences. She was the Diana to my Anne of Green Gables. We were kindred spirits.

"I think it might be good to be worried." Eric Yorkie stood up from his desk with his big, pensive eyes taking us all in. He had been so quiet as he downloaded the photographs he took of the bridge repairs for next week's edition. "My cousin joined up a few years ago. It was when they were still located in Alaska. He sold everything to give to the church and just stopped talking to everyone. I mean, we're his family, and he just cut all ties."

I looked into the forlorn face of my coworker and knew the damage a group of zealots could cause.

Waylon crossed his arms and sat in Jessica's empty chair. It creaked under his weight. "This is the alien cult, right? I get all those crazies confused."

"Nah, that group is a different one . When Jeff was trying to sell us to come with him, he made it sound like some entrance into the light of true acceptance. He never mentioned any alien influence but also didn't mention any links to other organized religion like Christianity, Islam, or anything else major. I did some digging on the Internet, and other than their website, there isn't much else around that talks about them. I mean, this is the digital age, and there isn't anything but celebrities praising them? That just doesn't sit right with me," Eric said. He squirted sanitizer on his hands and started to rub vigorously. It was a nervous habit I noticed he performed. "It isn't like people haven't had concerns about it, but somehow everything gets swept under the rug? I mean, why hasn't anyone reported about them before?"

"Son, sometimes, unless it isn't at your front door, one finds himself ignoring things happening around them. It happens to the best of us." Waylon rubbed his stomach again. "I need fifty antacids."

I gave him a big smile, and the boss looked like he wanted to upchuck all over the laminate floor.

"We should look into it, chief. I'm finished with the casino story for now. An investigation of this place is a great next article. It could put our paper on the map! At least, it will be a way to check up on Jessica. Make sure she's okay." It would be a win either way. If this place was just a prayer circle and Jess was fine then great. If this was a cesspool of crazy, I could get my Pulitzer and save Jessica.

Waylon shook his head. "Those types of groups haven't ever been written about without suing. The joined suing power of the Quileute and the religious nuts will make me bankrupt."

"She's one of us, chief," I said. "We can't just leave her there."

Angela and Eric nodded in agreement.

Our boss grimaced, "I better stock up on the peanut butter crackers. You kids will have me living out of a cardboard box."

Angela nodded in my direction. "Are you ready for the next adventure?"

Always.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you to Alice's White Rabbit for being a wonderful beta! I also want to thank her and the Ficsister's for the lovely mention on their blog. **

**I don't read guest reviews. Alice's White Rabbit does it for me and deletes the mean ones. Just a heads up so you don't waste anyone's time. **

**I've taken some liberties with the supernatural aspects of the characters. Some things will be familiar and others drastically different. I think it keeps life exciting. If you have any questions about our dear Edward feel free to PM me, my darling Chicken Littles.**

**Enjoy the ride!**

Chapter 2

_She liked to hang them from their feet. He had gotten her tiny bells for her birthday, so she tied them to their fingers. The sweet sounds of the ringing as they swayed reminded her of the wind chimes her Maw-Maw had hanging on her front porch. She would dance __in bare feet in the grass_ _to the sounds. The damp blades tickled her toes._

_Still, she danced in this dark room for her guests. Their unblinking eyes just stared as she spun. Her copper curls flew through the air. She would do anything to dance again in the sun. Its light making her shimmer like diamonds._

_Why couldn't she go play in the light? Her toys all left her when they went dry. Dolls weren't much fun when they fell limp. It wasn't fair that James kept her here away from all the toys. It was almost worse __than_ _being away from all the light. _

_"__Victoria, my love, I brought you more," he announced. _

_Their cries were almost as lovely as the sounds of those wind chimes._

XXXXXX

My dad had his head resting in his hands as he massaged his temples. He seemed so weary and so much older than when I last saw him. We were sitting at the kitchen table in the house I grew up in. The wood was dented from where I used to drag the tines of my fork on the surface when I refused to eat my broccoli when I was young.

"There's something completely off at that place. I can't put a finger on it, but that whole place gives me chills," Dad told me as he rubbed his head harder.

I patted his hand. "I'll help figure it out, Dad. I have a nose for scoping out this kind of stuff."

"Kiddo, you promised you were going to try to settle down a bit. I had to read about your adventures in war zones, and I was hoping you could do more special interest stories. You know the ones: cute puppies in hospitals and other stupid shit like that."

I couldn't help laughing at him. Life felt so different in his mustard-colored kitchen. It remained the same as when my grandmother owned the house except for the new appliances. It made me feel like a little girl again eating Cheerios with my dad and talking about my softball stats. This life was so far away from the arid desert full of IEDs and searching for sources that would explain the terrors of war while trying to avoid death myself.

"I work the crime beat, Dad. I'm not exactly writing about flower shows. I can handle this," I tried to reassure him.

Dad played with his coffee mug. It read "Top Cop." I remember buying it for him long ago. "That place sucks people in, Bella. I always thought Cora was a smart lady, but she sold everything to join up. Nobody has seen her since."

The owner of Forks Diner was a ballsy, tough broad. She had a giant beehive and smoked cigars on Sundays. The fact that she was taken in was a shocker.

"Eric not up yet?" Angela asked, yawning, as came into the kitchen.

"Just us so far. Didn't you sleep okay, Angela?" my dad asked in concern.

She patted his back. "The bed was great, Mr. Charlie. I was up in research mode. Oh! Is that the glorious smell of coffee?"

My friend rushed over to the coffee pot, inhaling deeply. I was addicted as much as she was and couldn't blame her a bit for wanting to get some of that caffeine-infused liquid into her system.

"I make the best coffee in town," my dad told her with a wink. I think he might be flirting with her. Gross. "That coffee is so strong it will put hair on your back."

She gave a snort. "I just need the chemical energy. After reading about the twisted world of Aro Volturi Jr., I was having nightmares when I finally got some sleep."

"Was it that bad?" I stood up and strolled to the refrigerator to search out the eggs.

"Yup. I didn't find much other than the press releases they send out. A few independent journalists were trying to dig things up, but nobody got much or they quit searching." She took a drink of her coffee and sighed happily. "What I did get is that the founder of this so-called spiritual movement—Aro Volturi—is from a long line of Italian merchants who made quite a bit of money. He decided to write horror tales before finding enlightenment and writing a book about being a spiritual being. Those tales of terror were screwed up but not as weird as his self-help book."

"The one who disappeared at sea?" Eric asked as he came into the kitchen. He headed straight to the coffee. "Thank God for java! Mr. Swan, that couch was a lumpy horror show."

My dad shrugged, looking unsurprised. "It's pretty terrible, son. I'll try to find you an extra pillow."

Eric held up his mug in a salute. "I would thank you for it, sir. When are we going in, ladies?"

There was no way Eric was going in there. That kid was not good at hiding emotions. He hated Into the Light. If he went in, we'd be kicked out immediately.

I looked over at him from where I started scrambling some eggs. "Ang and I are going in first. I'll need you here to help with getting the story ready, and I'll have you coordinate with Seth."

"Seth Clearwater?" My dad dropped his toast back onto his plate. "Bella, that boy needs to stay safely away from here."

I gave a snort as I continued making my breakfast. "Seth shall stay safely in a tropical paradise. He wants to help, and if anybody is going to hack into that crazy cult's website, it will be him."

My phone call with my best friend hacker was full of promise of an epic challenge. He couldn't resist, and he was the only one I knew who could uncover any electronic secrets they had.

"This can be dangerous, kiddo," my dad said with stone-faced seriousness. It was the kind of look I remembered from my youth. The kind he would give me during lectures about safety when he knew I was up to no good, hanging with punks at the train tracks. "I know you want to help your friend, but—"

"Dad, I have a hunch. You know the type you feel deep in your bones. Like the ones you get when something doesn't quite smell right," I explained. "If there's something terrible happening, I need to help stop it."

My hunches had led me into deep jungles to search out poachers, dirty hovels to stop human traffickers, and dusty war zones to tell the stories of victims being terrorized by insurgents. I couldn't stop once I knew something bad was going down. The need to try and help would feel like claws in my stomach trying to burst out until I found out the truth. There was something bad going on there, and I was going to find out what it was. Even if it killed me.

XXXXXX

"I can't believe you grew up here," Angela informed me as we pulled my truck into the parking lot of the headquarters of Into the Light. It was a huge campus of white buildings surrounded by a large glass structure that reminded me of a temple. "This place is the land of no sun."

"It was a bitch to get a tan," I added with a chuckle.

I shut off the engine and looked at the building. It was a modern monstrosity in this rough and tumble little town that was filled with loggers who wore plaid shirts rather than metrosexual city dwellers in love with the abstract arts. It stuck out like a sore thumb.

Angela unbuckled her seat belt. "You would think a religious movement that worships the light wouldn't have picked the cloudiest place on earth for a home base."

"The Scientologists have LA. The Lighters have to put their nutty somewhere. I would have picked somewhere tropical myself, but they never asked me." I looked at my friend. "You have our story set."

"I do." She opened the car door and gave me her huge grin. "Let's do this!"

Angela had dealt with religious fundamentalist parents her whole life. She had no fear of these types of people. That's why she was with me here and not back at my dad's house with Eric. She didn't collapse under pressure; instead, she took it all in stride and rose above it.

We left the car, appearing confident on the outside. At least for me, my insides were a mess. War zones gave me no momentary bouts of concern, but this place made me feel completely different. The closer we got to the front doors, the more I felt unsettled. This place was going to bring a change in my life. I seriously doubted it was a religious awakening that was going to occur. Instead, something more sinister, perhaps, would befall me. That I would be different.

I felt my hand being squeezed. Angela asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. This is nothing."

I was such a liar.

XXXXXX

"Let's get you settled into some comfortable seats to look over information packets. Would you like some coffee? Tea?" The girl whose nametag read "Alice" had a patient smile that made me want to recoil.

It was a beautiful place. I would give them that. Large vases of lilies filled the room that held white couches where visitors reclined with beverages and snacks as they were being wooed by lovely hosts. This place was brightly lit by the artificial light coming down from above. It contrasted sharply with the gloomy outdoors. The thing that bothered me was that, unlike the woods outside, this was all fake. It was just wrong.

The girl who informed us she was our guide was one of the gorgeous people who were trying to lure all of us normal folk into the web of their beauty. Her dark hair was a short, spiky mess that framed her petite, doll-like features. She seemed the picture of vacant perfection like those other guides around us, except occasionally, she would tug on the short, white shift dress she wore with a fleeting look of disgust. The girl would quickly make her face blank again, but it made me wonder about her.

Angela gave her a grin. That was fake too, but I liked Angela's fake. "Coffee would be amazing. Bella?"

"Sure." I tried to sound upbeat and hide my discomfort. "Listen, Alice—"

The tiny brunette sat next to me and took my hand. They were so chilly; I wanted to knit her a pair of mittens. Her eyes were an eerie color of gold that reminded me of the movie posters of Edward Cullen. They were like Roman coins. "I know you're looking for Jessica Stanley. She saw you when you came in. Heidi took her into the relaxation center to calm her nerves. Jessica is a special case, you see."

Angela's mask of positive curiosity changed into a look of concern and hurt. "Jess doesn't want to see us? Is she angry with us?"

"Oh, no! Please don't think that! There's no anger in the light, only peace." Alice took Angela's hand into her free one. I saw Angela flinch slightly. "Jessica has decided to participate in our more intensive program. She knows that sometimes outsiders can make one question our cause. There's also the fact that you're reporters. Into the Light only allows pre-approved journalists into our centers. We need to be careful not to have our wisdom taken out of context and sullied. If you would like a more formal interview with the lead elder of this center, Eleazar Denali, I can give you a packet to fill—"

"It wasn't our intention to write a piece about your church," I lied. If I uncovered anything, I would make sure it came out in the next edition. "I'm from Forks and came to visit my father. He's the police chief in town. Angela decided to join me to visit with our friend. We miss her. If this is an inconvenience, we can just leave."

"Chief Swan? He seems to be a very observant—" Alice's eyes grew dark, and she shuddered slightly. Suddenly, she perked back up and gave me a smile that bordered on manic. "Oh, no! Please stay! The best way to make sure Jessica is fine is to experience the program. If it doesn't give you solace spiritually, at least you'll know she's perfectly safe."

I glanced at Angela in confusion. This lady was all over the damn place. Angela wasn't looking at me but at the main attraction that had just entered the room. Edward Cullen, in all his perfection, was smiling his bright smile and greeting the fawning prospective new members. It was without a doubt the man was gorgeous. He was a movie star for a reason. He had a face that was reminiscent of a Grecian statue, hair the color of a copper penny, and the body I could ride all night long. I admit I found him alluring, but there has to be a few screws loose in his brain to join up with this crazy train.

"He's like an animated Ken doll," Angela blurted out as we watched him work the room with big smiles and blank eyes.

Alice let out a snort, which she quickly stifled with her hand. "My brother has that in him."

Did he? There was a flicker of something when he moved away from one couch with an older couple wearing matching velour tracksuits to a group of giggling co-eds. The smile faded and a look of disgust marred his beautiful face. It was intriguing. That's when he looked at me. The disgust turned to surprise, then he licked those lips of his.

Alice scooted over closer to me, placed her hand on my knee, and shot a look at the movie star. She smiled at the mortified Angela. "It's fine, Angela. He's a bit of an airhead."

That airhead gave the co-eds quick side hugs and came over to us. The smile was pasted back onto his face. "Alice, two new lovely ladies looking into joining our family?"

His gaze never left me. Those eyes of his were devouring me as if I was piece of mouthwatering steak. I found it repulsive, yet I wanted it all the same.

"Angela and Bella are looking into our movement. They're friends with Jessica Stanley. You remember the nice reporter you met with who joined us, Edward?" She placed her hand on my knee making him glare at where it rested. Alice added with a faint sound of warning, "Bella's father is the chief of police."

"Angela." He nodded his head at my friend, barely giving her a second thought. Edward directed his crocodile smile at me. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella. Edward Cullen."

My face was unreadable. "I know. I've seen your films."

More smiling from him. He was the spider drawing me into his web. "You're a fan?"

"No. I like independent movies more. Big-budget, action movies aren't my thing," I explained dismissively.

He momentarily looked surprised, but his grin quickly reappeared. "I think I can change your mind."

Edward knelt before me and took my hand as Alice squeezed my leg. His lips lingered on the skin. He was inhaling me, and the muscle in my chest was beating like a drum. Quietly, he murmured, "Aren't you delicious?"

"Edward!" Alice hissed.

Angela quickly stood and looked at her watch. "Look at the time! Bella, we promised to meet your dad for lunch."

I stood with her, but my hand was still trapped by Edward's. "You'll be back, Bella."

It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"Perhaps."

"I'll be happy to give you a tour of the grounds, if you wish," he informed me. "I haven't been a guide in years, but I'm sure Alice would be fine with me taking over your case."

My heart wouldn't stop thumping. This wasn't like me at all.

"We'll see." Alice pulled me away from him. "I'm going to give the ladies their information materials and walk them to their car. You have a meeting with James."

"James can wait." He moved closer as if I was a magnet that he couldn't be away from.

"No, he can't." Alice was resolute.

Edward leaned in one final time before Alice could escape from me. His lips on my cheek. He said into my skin, "Soon."

We were spirited out in a rush by the little woman. She turned to us when we were safely away from the building. "You two are both very strong. I can't say much but use your instincts. We need you both here, but I completely understand if you won't take this on."

"Are you saying something bad is happening here?" I asked her.

"I'm saying that things need to change, and you two are the catalysts." She hugged us quickly. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes." My answer was swift. Angela was shaking her head with a different answer.

"Okay, that's goo—" Alice began. A large black escalade pulled into the parking lot, and Alice's eyes darted to it. "I have to go. Tomorrow, then."

She ran over to the vehicle as a huge man with dark curls hopped out. Alice started talking animatedly to him as he looked over at us.

"My spidey senses are on overdrive, Bella!" Angela exclaimed as we got into the truck. The big man still watched us as Alice talked to him. "This place is too perfect. And all that stuff Alice said when we left was weird. Don't get me started on Movie Star Ken. I could have been an invisible ghost as far as he was concerned. That guy was staring at you like he was famished. It felt kind of dirty like I need a shower right now from your porno gazes."

"It was a one-sided porno." Maybe. I turned on the truck slowly. "We shouldn't come back. This could get really bad. My hunches are never wrong."

"We always follow a hunch, Bella," Angela said quietly.

She was right. We always did.

"We'll regroup then and go find the truth." I pulled out and looked behind me.

Edward Cullen had come outside and was looking at us. I involuntarily shivered. Was it fear or was it desire? I had no idea.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Alice's White Rabbit makes my stories amazing.**

**Leah Remini's book inspired me to work on this thing again. So a big thanks to her for spilling secrets.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

_John had wanted to head to Orlando for their vacation. They had a timeshare in a retirement community that was surrounded by palm trees and soft sand that would warm his toes. He had even bought some fun Hawaiian shirts covered in bright flowers to wear while sipping beer in a lawn chair by the ocean. He would have even taken Meryl to Disney for a day or two. They could try to rekindle the feeling of being young again, only with the annoying, painful joints and need to rest on a bench every couple feet. _

_Instead, he found himself in the cold northwest with a bunch of religious loonies. He would have preferred remaining in Philly watching baseball in his recliner. It was all that pretty girl in the park's fault who had wormed her way into Meryl's life. Long talks over coffee about destiny and being a part of something larger was what his wife was spouting all the time now. They were Methodists. They didn't do that nonsense. _

_It must have been that girl's blonde curls that reminded them both of their Tessa. The emptiness that filled John after losing Tessa was deep in his heart, eating away at any moment of happiness. Unlike Meryl's random weeping, John kept that sadness hidden. He had to give the girl some credit; she did help give Meryl some solace. Grief does strange things sometimes, like allowing yourself to replace your dead child with a teenager with a similar appearance. _

_There was no way that girl was anything like their Tessa. His daughter's eyes were full of joy that had lit her from the inside out. The girl had no light, and something about her felt off to him. Yet, she made Meryl happy, and that was enough for him. _

_"__Johnny, do you think Rachel is here? She promised," his wife said as she straightened out the jacket of her tracksuit. They stood outside a large steel door surrounded by urns of white lilies. They reminded him of funeral flowers. "I bet she was the one who setup this special lunch for us. The chosen ones! How exciting! She's such a sweet girl to do this for us." _

_He had no clue and really didn't care. Of course, he would never tell Meryl that. Instead, he patted her hand. "I'm sure she will be, sugar."_

_A tall man slipped out the door. He was so silent that it made John jump in fear. The man was so pale, like all the rest of these weirdos. If you join this group, are you not allowed in the sun any more? _

_The man looked down at the clipboard he held in his hands. His dark hair flopped over his eyes as he read the paper attached to it. He looked up with a scowl. "The Hansons, I presume?"_

_John took a step back, but it wasn't due to the man's snotty expression. There was something wrong with the man's eyes. You couldn't actually say they were tinged with red because they were red. _

_"__Is Rachel waiting for us?" Meryl asked hopefully. She didn't see it or couldn't see it. All she could see was the possibility that her replacement daughter was waiting for her with open arms. _

_John grabbed his wife's shoulder. "Honey, I think I forgot my pills back at the inn. We should go back and grab them."_

_"__I'm sure they can wait, Mr. Hanson." The man's sly smile reminded John of a crocodile that was ready to strike. He took Meryl's hand. "Rachel is waiting just for you, Mrs. Hanson. She is just itching to have you near."_

_To John, it sounded like a threat. _

_Meryl just kept smiling as the man led her inside, and John lingered. He wanted to run but that would be the coward's way out. He was a Vietnam vet, and that was the woman he loved. He would follow her to the abyss. _

_Or he would until he walked in and saw the blood all over the room. Dead bodies were littering the floor, and the ones that were still alive were barely hanging on as the cult members held them in deadly embraces. _

_John thought he would faint but managed to be strong as he saw his Meryl. Rachel's mouth was sucking on his wife's neck. There was blood flowing down his wife's neck and staining her jacket. _

_"__What the hell?" John managed to say before a hand was clasped on his chest._

_"__Your hell, Mr. Hanson," the man who guided them whispered in his ear._

_The pain was intense, and for John Hanson, there was no more light. _

XXXXXX

It was like a sauna in this room. The deserts that I traveled to in the Middle East were absolutely refreshing compared to this. I was reminded of those days, with my head resting on Garrett's chest, when he read the poems of Percy to me in our tent. He would play with stands of my hair and would randomly lean down to kiss the top of my head.

I stilled missed him, though he disappeared so very long ago.

"—cool. I need you to make sure he knows you would feel more comfortable with a woman to show you around. Bella, are you listening?"

"Cool?" I had no clue what Alice was talking about. The short time I had spent in this compound made me think more about Garrett.

Alice sighed. "Play it cool when you talk to James. You know this, Bella. Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I would be. Alone and okay. This job to discover the truth was my life now. The only love I would ever have was buried in the desert somewhere.

Angela patted my hand. "It will be fine. You've dealt with worse individuals than the people here. I mean, we even get to ogle some celebrities. This place is filled with them. It makes you wonder how they suck all these people in. Did you see Jasper Whitlock over there?"

I glanced over to see the country music superstar flirting with a potential new member by the coffee bar, which sold overpriced, awful java. The scantily clad girl was giggling as the handsome singer was whispering sweet nothings into her ear. His blond curls bounced as he stroked her arm. I saw him glance over to us and give a wink to the group. Alice looked murderous.

"Ladies, they are all a bunch of preening, self-centered idiots. Don't give any of them the time of day," Alice instructed. The look on her face morphed from anger to sadness. "This place and all those celebrities—"

She was in love with Jasper Whitlock, and her heart was breaking.

Grabbing her cold hand in mine, I said in understanding, "Made a deal with the devil."

"They certainly did." Alice gave a tiny smile. "Everything is arranged with Rosalie to be your guide around here. She acts like a bitch sometimes, but I promise you she's on your side."

Angela glanced at her watch. "It's almost time to go."

"He will want you both," Alice explained. I couldn't understand why, but her words made my stomach drop. "Two reporters of your caliber on his side will make James feel invincible. Make sure he knows how important you are to him."

"Do you think he'll let us see Jess?" I inquired as we all stood and headed to an elevator. "It would make me feel better to make sure she's actually okay."

Grabbing my arm, Alice hissed, "It isn't safe for you to see her right now. You have to trust me on this."

I couldn't trust anyone around here. Not completely. The people who were a part of this place were like sirens pulling in awestruck masses who were blinded by celebrity.

"Isn't that Ben Cheney?" Angela asked with a blissful smile. "I just love those comedies he's in."

Not even my friend was immune.

"Angela, everyone here needs to be kept at arm's length." Alice glanced at him. "He's not bad, but . . . Rose?"

A beautiful blonde stepped off the elevator and looked completely pissed. "He's letting Edward run the show. They keep coddling that idiot to keep him happy. I'm out."

"This is unacceptable. You and Emmett can watch out for them. Maybe—" Alice was twisting her hands looking worried.

"You should have seen this," the woman spat quietly. "Our jobs just became a million times harder trying to keep these children safe."

She looked at us as if we were annoying puppies that she wanted to toss in a river. She was a gem.

Alice frowned. "Everything has been spotty lately. Nothing is really clear."

"Well, don't make a fuss to James. He threatened Carlisle again."

"Edward wouldn't allow it."

"Edward is not thinking straight. The little prince is _hungry._" She gave us a withering glance. "You better be right about them. I need to find Em."

Alice looked grim and focused her gaze on Jasper. "Try to keep quiet. Jas is back. Tell Em part two has begun."

Rose nodded. "Will do."

We got in as she pranced away. The elevator filled with instrumental versions of Jasper Whitlock's greatest hits. It was suffocating in here. I observed Angela nibbling on her nails. She was terrified.

I pulled her hand away. "Toughen up, Ang. Show no fear. Alice, what the hell is happening? I need to know the truth."

"You'll never believe me if I tell you," she told us sadly. "You'll have to see it for yourself."

"We're here to write a story and get our friend back," I reminded her.

Alice shook her head. "No. You're here to save the world."

XXXXXX

There was a chime as we reached out destination. Angela's hand linked with mine. She whispered, "I'm scared."

"You're strong," I told her as I squeezed her hand. "Show your strength."

"What if they kill us?" Angela was shaking.

I gave her hand a squeeze, ignoring Alice's mouth opening in protest. "Not if I have anything to do about us. We're a team, and I'll always save you."

"And I'll save you," she added weakly.

Alice rolled her eyes as the door opened. "Ladies, just try and follow my lead. I think I have a new plan."

A new plan? The fact we were being blindly led into a potential lion's den and were only getting bits and pieces of actual facts about this place was making me feel mighty uneasy. Everything about this whack-a-doo cult was more frightening the more time I spent here. This mystery made me feel we would be discovering something far more horrible than a money-making racket.

"You think? You aren't actually providing any comfort," I whispered to Alice. We had walked into the reception area of the upper leaderships' offices. It was as whitewashed as the level we were previously on. The only decoration in the room was a large glass vase filled with lilies of the valley that sat on the large white counter. "At least, pretend we'll come out of this unscathed."

"Trying my best," she grumbled in return.

A comely woman with a superficial smile and a platinum bob stood behind the counter. She greeted us like an animatronic robot you would see in Disney World's Hall of Presidents. "James is waiting for you in his office."

The receptionist pointed to a large door. Alice took our hands and pulled us toward it. "Thank you so much, Charlotte."

The woman's face quickly changed into panic. "You aren't invited, Alice Cullen!"

Alice flashed her a smile that was positively chilling. "Darling, every place is open to me. Don't you forget it."

The first thing I noticed was Edward Cullen. My eyes were always drawn to him as his were to mine. He was leaning against a window that filled the whole wall, exposing the immense forest that was the backdrop to the building. He smirked at me and gave me a little wave. There was another man with jet-black hair and swarthy good looks who sat in a black leather chair. He tapped his knees with his fingers as if this was a waste of his precious time. They were both intimidating, but it was the man perched on a glass desk who gave me pause.

"Good morning, James," Alice cooed as she pranced over and kissed him on the cheek.

This man James had to be the head of Everlasting Light. The supreme leader who ran this questionable religious organization. I expected him to be different. Perhaps an older gentleman dressed in a suit and with an expensive Rolex. Instead, before me sat a young man who was definitely younger than me, casually dressed in blue jeans and an old Rolling Stones tee-shirt. His mid-length blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail. You would expect to find him working in a record store, not running a profitable religious movement.

"Alice, sweetheart, I expected you to wait outside." He grasped her cheeks. "I admire your creativity but not when there is important work to be done. You disappoint me, precious."

She winced. He was hurting her.

I moved to help her, but, out of nowhere, Edward Cullen guided me into a chair. He squeezed my hand. "Please, sit. Alice has him wrapped around her little finger."

"James, I've seen things," she told him, sounding pained.

His hands moved away from her face, and instead, he grasped her hands and kissed the back of them. "Fantastic! I thought you were in a fog."

"It cleared," Alice informed him. Her cheerful words rang false to me. "The girls are important."

"Yes, important to Edward. I need to keep my star happy." He gave Edward a thumbs-up. I felt Edward place his hand on my shoulder as if I was a possession he was claiming. "I already have several publications singing our praises, so the ladies aren't needed for their journalistic skills. Their purpose has been decided."

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Originally, I thought Miss Swan's experience in covering war zones would be helpful, but more has been revealed to me. The light in the women is special. It is what we've been looking for. Having them here for a higher education will not only keep us safe from Chief Swan's prying, but their skills will benefit the ultimate plan. Eleazar, you have to feel it."

The dark-haired man, Eleazar, rose and glided toward poor Angela, who remained frozen at the door. He stroked her neck, and he smiled a crocodile grin. "This one tingles strongly. It will take some more probing to see what gifts she'll bring. The other child is absolutely bursting with light. I'm blinded by her."

Eleazar had turned his reptilian smile to me as Edward huffed and stomped to the window to stare out at the trees.

"Can I ask what is going on here? I've been listening to you all talk about Angela and I as if we're not even here. I think an explanation is in order because I have a whole lot of questions." I stood and crossed my arms in front of my chest as I puffed myself up in an attempt to look intimidating. "I'm here to write a story and find out about my friend, not to be blinding to some strange guy over here."

James laughed and clapped his hands. "Miss Swan and Miss Weber, please excuse our impolite manners. We are trying to figure out some logistics for your stay. I know you are both here for journalistic purposes, but I do hope you will give our little family a chance. Try it out and see what you think."

"We don't have a million dollars to join your chosen family," Angela squeaked, coming next to me. Her bravery and bullshit meter winning out over fear. "What do you expect from us if we join this family of yours?"

"Miss Weber, you have the brightness we are looking for shining out already. You, my dear, just need a little fine tuning," Eleazar explained. I wouldn't trust that guy tuning anything.

"You will need guides on your journey." James grabbed a folder off the desk and flipped through the pages. "Alice, I have a new potential for—"

Alice ran her fingers down his arms. "James, I can see things more clearly if I'm close to them."

"You can guide Angela. I promised Ed—" James closed the folder and looked at the pouting actor.

"It isn't safe, Jamie." Alice moved in closer. "You need someone more in control, like Alistair."

"Alice," James hissed.

She shrugged. "He is quite the ladies' man. We don't want him to scare you away."

I knew without a doubt Alice's safety concerns had nothing to do with my heart.

Edward turned around in anger. "_You_ promised me, James! I did everything you asked!"

James put up a single hand to silence Edward. He smoothly lied. "Please excuse Mr. Cullen. He was quite excited to be a guide for the very first time. I usually just have him do public relations duties for the church. What do you suggest, Alice? You can see things so much clearer than the rest of us."

"Emmett can guide Bella. Edward can shadow. He'll learn better that way, and Emmett can make sure Edward is respectful." She moved away from James and took Angela's and my hands. "I should take them to get things they need to stay in the dormitories."

"This is ridiculous!" Edward stared at me with venom in his eyes. They were almost pitch black.

Everyone just ignored the temper tantrum that was about to erupt. Edward kicked the leg of one of the coffee tables, and I heard it crack.

"Make sure the ladies are observed when getting their belongings. We have a list of things that are not allowed." James picked up a snow globe with a scene from London that sat on his desk. It was the cheap sort that you would pick up at a tourist spot and was highly out of place in this office. He shook it slowly. "Alice?"

"Yes?"

"Come visit me when you get back." He continued to shake it, making the fake snow swirl like a blizzard.

Alice tightened her grip on us. "But Victoria—"

"Isn't ready to join us yet." He looked up and gave Alice a wink.

"God, Alice," Edward muttered as he collapsed in the chair I had been sitting in.

Minutes later, we were back in the elevator. Alice was the picture of sadness.

"What just happened in there, Alice?" I asked in confusion. "Is your brother insane?"

"No. He just needs time." She rubbed her temple. "I hope."

"You hope?" Angela turned to her. "This is sounding weird and pretty dangerous. We need more than your idea of hoping."

"You said you saw something, Alice. What was it?" I was trying to fish for information, but I doubted she would be forthcoming.

"I saw nothing." She closed her eyes. "We're lucky they all bought it, and my instincts were correct."

"I need more than what you're dishing out," I informed her. "I think my life might be on the line here. You need to start giving us details."

She grasped my shoulder as Jasper Whitlock's music played in the background. A sad country ballad worked as a perfect accompaniment to this mess. "I can't give you all the answers yet. It's too much, too soon. You won't be able to process it. You need to trust me."

"I can't trust you. You're sleeping with the big bad." I glared at her. "Does James get your whole truth?"

"It's not like that. I need him to think he's in love with me and that I'm devoted to him, Bella!"

I had no more use for this mess. Nothing was worth risking my life for. Jessica made her bed, and now she could rot in it for all I cared. I was going to get back to the city, get some beer, and—

"Why, Alice? He seems so evil," Angela's soft voice filled the air.

"Sometimes, you just need to dance with the devil, Angela." She looked pained. "For the greater good, you dance."

"I'll help you," Angela stated, and she turned to face the opening doors of the elevator.

I knew, at that moment, I would have to follow this through as well. I would never leave my friend to face this insanity alone.


End file.
